Before Me will be Gladys Knight's debut recording on the venerable Verve Records label. The album is a heartfelt homage to the great legends of song who paved the way for her to become a legendary performer in her own right. Many of these artists, including the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne, were friends, mentors, colleagues, of Knight's since the beginning of her career, and all gave her immeasurable inspiration, courage, and strength.

When a woman like Gladys Knight turns her attention to the classics that inspired her, the listener is in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Recorded in New York and Los Angeles and helmed by Grammy® winning master producers Tommy LiPuma (Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, George Benson) and Phil Ramone (Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett), Before Me finds Knight interpreting timeless material. From the righteous blues of “God Bless the Child” and a bossa nova-kissed “The Man I Love” to the spirit-sending “Come Sunday” and brassy “I've Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good),” it's clear that Knight's voice is as clear, strong, and expressive as ever. It's also clear how near and dear to her heart this project has been. “As I was getting this music together,” Ms. Knight reflects, “the title, Before Me, just rang in my head. I was impressed to make a reference to those glorious performers that set the pace for me to be a part of this industry- from the great ladies of song Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone and Mahalia Jackson to supremely talented gentlemen such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Sammy Davis, Jr. These people made great strides not just with their music, but because of who they were as people. I salute these wonderful artists that set it up for me to do the extraordinary music that makes up Before Me.”